Guide to a Weekend in State College PA

State College, PA is the home of Penn State University, and during football season, that means lots of visitors come to town to see the game and explore the areas around Lewistown, State College, and Bellefonte each weekend. If you’ll be in town, you’ll want to know the best places to visit for a true taste of campus life. This is our guide to a weekend in State College, PA, featuring our favorite things to do when we’re in town.

Penn State Berkey Creamery

Founded in 1865, this on-campus creamery is an authority on all things dairy. The creamery supports the teaching and research programs of the Department of Food Science. In 1892, the college began offering “short courses” to provide lessons on making the best ice cream, courses that are still offered today, and have been attended by many of the big names in ice cream, such as Baskin Robbins and Ben & Jerry’s. Retail sales of the creamery’s concoctions didn’t begin until 1960, and today you’ll still find plenty of delicious products for purchase, including the famous ice cream and cream cheeses, made from the milk of the creamery’s 200 cows.

Cheer on the Nittany Lions

After you grab some ice cream for lunch—and yes, ice cream is an acceptable lunch—it’ll be time to head to the game and cheer on the Nittany Lions! Don’t miss out on the giant tailgate that takes place before each football game begins! Penn State shines in a huge variety of sporting events, so be sure to check out not just the football team, but also the field hockey, soccer, volleyball, and track teams, plus many more!

Phyrst Bar

After the game, it’s time to meet up with all your friends and head to Phyrst Bar to unwind. This popular off-campus hangout offers a friendly atmosphere, a selection of beverages, pool tables, and live music— it’s a quintessential college bar! So, grab your crew and a brew, and hang out at Phyrst to relive your college glory days!